Throughout its pre-premiere marketing, Skeleton Crew was largely promoted as a fun, fast-paced space adventure. While this remains true, the show has taken on a much grimmer tone in the back half of the series. First, Jod Na Nawood fully turned on the kids, leaving them to endure a harsh journey back to their ship. And this week in "We're Gonna Be In So Much Trouble," things somehow got even worse.
Star Wars has always been for kids, and good Star Wars creators simultaneously recognize that kids are capable of handling harder-to-swallow subjects (as long as they are presented in age-appropriate ways). For a show like Skeleton Crew, Jod fully becoming the show's most chilling and dangerous antagonist is actually one of the things that makes it work so well. The show isn't interested in shying away from that possibility simply because kids might be watching.
The moment the calming music accompanying the kids' approach of At Attin is rudely interrupted by Jod's surprise appearance on the ship is one of the most devastating scenes in Star Wars that I've witnessed in a long time. In this moment of joy and relief that we've finally made it home, we realize, along with the kids, that the true danger is only just beginning.
Throughout the show, I've had my fair share of moments in which I've wondered if Jod was just putting on a front when interacting with the other pirates. Surely, deep down, he still cared about the kids, right? Not according to this episode. Here, he is yelling at and belittling the children with no one else around as if an enraged parent is taking their frustration out on the kids who did nothing wrong. You know it's a good villain when they'll threaten children -- no bluffs, no remorse.
And to end the episode with a heartwarming reunion between the parents and kids once again interrupted by Jod -- this time with the ignition of a lightsaber -- creates the kind of cliffhanger that some past Star Wars penultimate TV episodes could have only dreamed of mastering.
The final episode is upon us -- assuming this is another one-and-done situation; no confirmation either way yet -- and not only am I unable to predict what might happen next. I also wish I didn't have to wait another week to find out. I reserve my final judgment for the aftermath of the finale, but I think it's safe to say if Star Wars keeps making shows that excel in this many areas of storytelling in a galaxy far, far away, the franchise will be in no danger of unraveling anytime soon.